Three Dimensions

2012-07-31by 2049 views

So what that 3D is? What allow to see the depth on a flat monitor?

In fact, the method of shooting a movie that creates the illusion of depth was patented back in 1890, and after 10 years the device for its implementation was created. And it is more correct to call it stereoscopic, not ‘3D’.

Usually 3D games can provide information about the distance from the monitor to the game object, so this stereo effect is successfully used in the gaming industry. Typically, video card driver already support this feature, otherwise - you can use the open iZ3D driver.

These drivers can make your game look like red and blue medley (green and crimson, or another you choose, some 3D options require special equipment). And in order to make ‘illusion of depth’ appear - you must use the appropriate 3D glasses.

Depending on the technology, it can be anaglyph glasses with color filters, polarizing or shutter glasses.

The cheapest and most affordable option is the anaglyph technique, with glasses that you can make from a transparent film colored with a marker.

Anaglyph glasses with filters of different color for each eye allow each eye to see only relevant part of the picture. Thus, the picture for the red-cyan anaglyph glasses will consist of red and cyan contours, which are shifted relative to each other. Also anaglyph glasses can be with green-magenta or with amber-blue filters. The colors of the image must match the colors of anaglyph filters, in this case you will be able to see the depth and the volume.

As one of most primitive, this method has several disadvantages, such as ghosting, a significant distortion of color and eye fatigue.

An alternative to anaglyph 3D glasses are polarizing glasses.

Various polarization techniques (linear or circular) form the basis of this technology. More sophisticated models allow to achieve a high quality full color image and is also used in cinemas. To use this kind of glasses you will need a special stereo monitor, like iZ3D, Planar or other that supports the technology.

The next option is the active shutter glasses.

These glasses are composed of two filters which turn from opaque to transparent with high frequency (so only one eye can see the image at a time), while the monitor displays individual images to each eye. This technology also provides a full-color 3D. However, despite the high price, glasses for this technology can produce eye-fatigue, and sometimes ghosting (for lower-cost glasses).

The most high-quality, but also the most expensive option considered 3D video helmets, HMDs (helmet mounted display) and goggles.

These devices contain a tiny screen mounted in front of each eye.

An important characteristic of which is resolution. Since the screens themselves are very small - the creation of such equipment with a resolution higher than 400 * 300 requires high-tech production that, of course, affects the price.

Thus, any gamer can choose affordable 3D technology to try something new and get unique experience, even with familiar games.